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Kellogg, Canadian PM Carney, and NATO Allies Mark Ukraine’s Independence Day in Kyiv
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Special Representative of the US President for Ukraine Keith Kellogg arrived in Kyiv on August 24 to take part in Independence Day events.
According to the official broadcast from Kyiv’s Sofiyska Square, Kellogg joined international leaders and ministers who attended the celebrations.
Among the guests were Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, the defense ministers of Sweden, Denmark, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, and Canada, as well as the UK’s Minister for Veterans’ Affairs.
🇨🇦 Canadian PM Mark Carney arrived in Kyiv with an official visit on Ukraine’s Independence Day.
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) August 24, 2025
He also released a video message congratulating Ukrainians on the occasion. pic.twitter.com/PdbPGrCsqC
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the gathering, emphasizing the resilience of the Ukrainian people throughout history. He noted that Ukraine had endured some of the most difficult challenges in Europe but had preserved its statehood and national identity.
During the ceremony, President Zelenskyy awarded Keith Kellogg with the Order of Merit, First Class. The same honor was also given to Sweden’s Defense Minister Pål Jonson.
Speaking in Kyiv, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney highlighted the importance of reliable security guarantees for Ukraine. Drawing parallels with past negotiations between US President Ronald Reagan and the Soviet Union, Carney underlined that Russian leader Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted.
He stated that unlike former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Putin seeks imperial expansion rather than reform.
Carney noted that Russia has repeatedly broken its commitments, from the Minsk agreements to the present day, and bears responsibility for widespread casualties and destruction. He added that Russia’s economy is weakening and that Ukraine’s partners remain committed to ensuring that aggression can be contained.
Earlier, on August 22, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Kyiv for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to Ukrinform, the discussions focused on building a new security framework for Ukraine, including US readiness to join long-term guarantees, modeled on NATO’s Article 5.
Zelenskyy highlighted the PURL program, which enables Ukraine to buy US-made systems such as Patriot air defenses with European partner funding. Rutte stressed that NATO allies are working on strong guarantees to ensure Russia cannot seize Ukrainian territory again.
